The EHSRC has a longstanding history of fostering the careers of researchers at all levels in the environmental health sciences. Building on this track record, the EHSRC will continue training future leaders in EHS by addressing the following major objectives: ? Recruitment and support of talented junior investigators (named Associate Members) committed to EHS research by providing salary and research support, facility access and mentoring by senior members. ? Recruitment of faculty at all levels with expertise and research interests important to EHSRC development. ? Enrichment of all Center investigators with seminars, workshops, center retreats, interactions with visiting professors, support of local conferences and inter-center exchanges to foster cutting edge, multidisciplinary research and research translation. In the next funding cycle the Career Development Program (CDP), in close interaction with the Internal Advisory Committee, will continue to play an essential role in identifying and recruiting investigators new to the field of EHS or working in emerging areas of EHS (e.g. the effect of climate change on environmental health in the rural Midwest). The ultimate goal is to promote an increased understanding of environmental contaminants and to reduce their impacts on human health by training the future leaders in EHS. To achieve these objectives, the following components of the CDP provide development activities throughout all career development stages, beginning with junior all the way to senior Center members: 1) The EHSRC selects promising junior investigators with an interest in EHS as Associate Members (4.4.1). 2) Associate Members are asked to identify a mentoring committee and put forth a development plan that contains all elements required for NIH-funded career development awards (4.4.2). 3) The career development progress of all mentored Center members is evaluated annually (4.4.3). 4) As members progress to more independent status, the EHSRC sponsors a range of enrichment activities to stimulate EHS research and provide access to unique research facilities (4.4.4.). 5) To ensure that the CDP meets its objective, vigorous evaluation will be performed by the Internal (lAC) and External Advisory Committee (EAC) (4.5).